Hey georgetheronni, how are you doing?
A number of techniques and treatments can help. The good news is that most people are able to learn to live with their tinnitus without any sort of treatment. Only a small proportion of people with tinnitus ever require a medical or surgical treatment.
Most cases of tinnitus should be evaluated by an ear, nose, and throat physician before home treatment begins to be sure that the tinnitus is not caused by another treatable problem.
Treatment for tinnitus depends on the underlying cause of the problem.
In the majority of cases, tinnitus is caused by damage to the hearing organ. In these cases, there is normally no need for treatment other than reassurance that the tinnitus is not being caused by another treatable illness.
In the very rare instance where the tinnitus is extremely bothersome, there are a number of treatment options.
Some of the most helpful include antianxiety or antidepressant medication, biofeedback and other relaxation techniques, and sometimes maskers—small devices like hearing aids that help to block out the sound of the tinnitus with "white noise."
for people who are bothered by tinnitus only when trying to sleep, the sound of a fan or a radio set to low volume is usually all that is required to relieve the problem.
Most people with tinnitus find that their symptoms are worse when under stress, so relaxation techniques can be helpful.
Caffeine may worsen symptoms.
Hearing loss worsens the effect of tinnitus, so hearing protection and avoiding loud noises is very important in preventing worsening of the symptoms.
For most people, though, simply ignoring the tinnitus will allow it to fade into the background, just as wearing a piece of jewelry or a watch becomes unnoticeable to us after a short time, unless we consciously think about wearing it.
In cases where the tinnitus is caused by one of the other rare problems (such as a tumor or aneurysm), treatment of the tinnitus involves fixing the main issue. Although this does not always resolve the tinnitus, some people note relief of their symptoms. Only a very few cases of tinnitus are caused by identifiable, repairable medical conditions.
For excellent patient education resources, visit emedicine's ear, nose, and throat center. Also, see emedicine's patient education article tinnitus.
Best wishes,